St Finbarr's beat great rivals Glen Rovers to get promotion bid on track
St Finbarr's Jack Cahalane swerves past Glen Rovers' Liam Coughlan, during their Red FM SHL Division 2 clash at Togher. Picture: David Keane.
AFTER consecutive league defeats, St Finbarr’s are back on track following a home win over city rivals Glen Rovers in the RedFM Division 2 Hurling League on Saturday evening.
St Finbarr’s are back in contention for promotion jumping up to third in the table just a point behind second-placed Ballincollig with two games remaining and the teams meet in the coming weeks. Table-toppers Glen Rovers, despite this defeat, should have enough in the final two matches to gain promotion.
Jack Cahalane was the main man up front for the Barrs, he was excellent from play and from frees while the likes of Jack O’Kelly, Brian Ramsey, Colm Keane and John Wigginton-Barrett were all influential in the forward department.
The experienced Eoin Keane brought leadership to the defence especially in the second half when the game was in the melting pot, Eoghan Finn also impressed.
The Glen played in fits and starts and will be disappointed with their overall showing. Brian Moylan, David Noonan, Simon Kennefick, scorer of 2-3, and Stephen Lynam played well though.
It was tit for tat in the early stages with both teams unable to dominate the derby. The home team led 0-6 to 0-5 after 18 minutes before the Glen nudged ahead through points from Eoin O’Leary and a long-range Noonan effort. St Finbarr’s responded with points from the hard-working O’Kelly and Ramsey before the eventual winners struck for a crucial score.
Adrian Murphy played a beautiful ball into Wigginton-Barrett and the latter made no mistake and finished to the net.
Colm Keane pointed for Ger Cunningham’s side until Glen Rovers hit the last two points, which came from placed balls, through Dean Brosnan and Moylan, 1-9 to 0-9 at the break.
The Premier SHC winners controlled the majority of the third quarter. They struck for their second goal nine minutes into the new half when sub Sam Cunningham raised a green flag and with 18 minutes remaining the Togher team led 2-13 to 0-13.
The Glen hit two of the next three points until Kennefick scored two goals in two minutes and all of a sudden the away team led 2-15 to 2-14 with 10 minutes left.
The sides traded points before the winners finished strongly hitting five unanswered points, Cahalane with three, one from a free, a long-range Colm Barrett effort and a beauty from Ramsey, 2-20 to 2-16 after 62 minutes.
O’Leary pointed from a free for the Blackpool team, too far out to go for goal, with the final whistle sounding from the resulting puck-out.
J Cahalane 0-10 (0-6 f), J Wigginton-Barrett 1-2, B Ramsey 0-3, S Cunningham 1-0, C Keane 0-2, C Barrett, E Finn (f), J O’Kelly 0-1 each.
S Kennefick 2-3, D Brosnan (0-2 f), B Moylan (0-2 f), E O’Leary (0-2 f), S Lynam 0-3 each, D Noonan 0-2.
S Hurley; D Callanan, C Crowley, C Walsh; E Keane, C Steele, E Finn; C Barrett, B Hennessy; J O’Kelly, J Cahalane, B Ramsey; A Murphy, C Keane, J Wigginton-Barrett.
S Cunningham for A Murphy (h-t).
C Hickey; D Dooling, S McDonnell, A O’Sullivan; B Moylan, D Noonan, D Coughlan; C O’Sullivan, C Maguire; R Dunne, S Kennefick, L Coughlan; E O’Leary, D Brosnan, S Lynam.
B Murphy for C Maguire (h-t), F O’Driscoll for S McDonnell (33, inj).
Simon Stokes (Tullylease).
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